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Below is a rough transcript of the speech that I gave at the Ventura Unified School Board meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 11 during the public commentary period. I conveyed my apprehension, as a student, regarding Foothill’s current administration. Although my words were received by an audience of community members at the meeting, I wish to voice my concerns to other Foothill students who didn’t have the opportunity to attend. In the end, this is an ongoing situation that we, as students, need to address.

Good evening, my name is Rachel Chang, and I’m a student at Foothill Technology High School.

The last few weeks’ discussion has centered around Creswell, and while that’s important, it’s been myopic and has overshadowed a critical point of discussion.

It was Foothill’s administration that made the decision to detach our school’s name from Pride Week: an event with the sole purpose to educate our campus on why a certain group of people一particularly a large demographic of Foothill students一can exist without persecution.

Maybe it was a loose interpretation of an Ed. Code or angry emails or district advice 一 the specific reason why一we don’t know. And that’s part of the problem一we don’t know. During the past few weeks, I’ve spoken to various staff members, only to realize that not only the students but also the staff are kept in the dark. There’s an alarming lack of transparency concerning issues that are of tremendous importance to us as students.

They can keep repeating that Pride Week happened the same with or without Foothill’s name on it, but it’s the concept behind it that’s most disappointing一that if I’m on the basketball team, the baseball team or the debate team or DTech or Bioscience, then I can have a T-shirt that proudly says I go to Foothill. But if I’m gay, then I can’t?

To those saying “grow up, it’s just a T-shirt…” it’s so much more. You don’t need to be gay to realize that it hurts and it’s uncomfortable.

I acknowledge that our principal’s job is complicated and that like any public servant, he doesn’t want disagreement. But you can’t make everyone happy. You just can’t. So it is a principal’s decision to either appease the “anonymous parent who fears politics” or a group of humans一your students一who face some of the most violent hate crimes and have one of the highest suicide rates in this country.

But the decision was made. Pride Week is over, and we can’t change what happened. But our principal has not issued a formal apology. They avoid us because if there’s no contact then they can hope that we’ll soon forget一we anyways cycle out every four years.

In a student’s perspective seeing this unfold, I think there is something critically wrong with Foothill’s administration.

And it’s not just Pride Week. Pride Week was simply the last straw to several past, problematic incidences that were handled just like this一no acknowledgment, no apology and just forgotten.

And I am here tonight because I want the School Board to re-examine the issue at hand. I want Foothill’s principal to address this issue: take ownership of his decision, communicate with the students because, in the end, we’re the ones affected and lastly, to apologize to our LGBTQ+ students.

And if our administration can’t do this, then I urgently suggest it’s time for some new leadership at Foothill.

48 Responses to “CHANG: there is something critically wrong with Foothill’s administration.”

Anonymous on
December 12th, 2018 10:29 pm

This is nauseating. I strongly disagree with everything she just said. What makes them think that they can call for new leadership? First Creswell, taking his views as a pastor from BEFORE he even worked for VUSD and manipulating them, asking him to resign. Now BOVA? I’m appalled.

Hannah Yale on
December 13th, 2018 9:56 am

What makes “them” think that “they” can call for new leadership? Are you referring to the LGBT students at Foothill who were just told that they are not worthy of school support? Those students are not an ambiguous “they”. Those students are living, breathing people gat deserve to be accepted and supported at their school.

Young_guy123 on
December 14th, 2018 2:58 pm

You do realize that the LGBT students got their week and nothing happened ,no one was attacked as far as I know , there was no discrimination , and the majority of the school population at foothill has no problem with the community that is LGBT. First and foremost Mr. Bova can’t please everyone I’m sure you know this. But as far as I saw most of the school did support it a decent amount of teachers wore those shirts and again no one was attacked and also when you responded to the comment above , yes the word they is used to refer to a specific group of people which he was and you somehow made it seem like that person was attacking the LGBT students at the school. Which he wasn’t the fact that this seems to be a problem is absolutely ridiculous. There is no oppression at this school so don’t make it seem like there is. We live in California one of the most liberal states in existence. Along with Foothill most of the teachers are outspoken liberals and have supported these types of things many times. This so called problem is grasping at shadows an evil that doesn’t exist at this school.

Riley Knouse (FTHS LGBT alumnus) on
December 17th, 2018 12:32 pm

First off, simply from your phrasing “the LGBT students got their week” I can gather that you really don’t understand the point of this article. Even though there may have been plenty of students and staff who supported this week, Foothill Technology High School – as an organization in our community – taking its name off of Pride Week means they have taken out their support /as an organization/. An organization which is extremely significant to the LGBT students of FTHS because…. well…. they go there, they spend a significant portion of 4 years there. The students of FTHS deserve to feel safe and supported by their school- not outright ignored. Erasure is oppression, and ignoring a glaring problem only adds to it.

Also, I feel it’s important to point out CA is not “one of the most liberal states in existence,” though it is easy for us to see it as such since we live on the coast (the more liberal part of CA).

Additionally, just because you aren’t seeing or experiencing oppression does not mean it isn’t happening in CA, Ventura, or even FTHS- privilege is what you have not had to go through.

Whether you have seen it or not, FTHS has been problematic. And though you may not fully understand the significance of this issue, it doesn’t make it less of a problem. There are problems at FTHS, so don’t make it seem like there aren’t.

What makes “them” believe that “they” can call for new leadership? Who is the “them” that you’re referring to? The LGBT students at Foothill? Those students are not a “they.” Those students are real people that have just been told that they are not worthy of official school support. Those students deserve better than that.

Anonymous on
December 13th, 2018 11:57 pm

The “them” seems to be referring to both Rachel and those who support her argument. It is not demeaning, attacking, or dehuminizing the LGBT students in any way shape or form. “They” is simply a word to describe any ambiguous group of people.

Secondly, they (in this case I’m using they to refer to those who orchestrated Pride Week) receive school support. As much as you would like to deny it in order to help build this narrative of the evil system suppressing you and your views that is simply untrue. They were simply told that the school logo is not allowed to be used on club t-shirts. There is no conspiracy. There is simply a rule in place for reasons beyond this single event. The LGBT community was not targeted or discriminated against, but at the same time they were not given special treatment simply for their gender identity or sexuality. That is how equality works. The school simply did not intervene with this event.

Avidh on
December 14th, 2018 11:23 am

As mentioned, nobody denied LGBT students their humanity, or that they are not worthy of the support of our school. To preach that they are somehow oppressed in this school is simply an unbased allegation. The Foothill Administration has gone to great length to secure the rights of these students. The fact is that the vast majority of students on this campus could not care less if someone was part of the LGBT community, and to suggest that they are somehow special and deserving of their own week misleads one to infer that they are not “normal”, which is blatant discrimination.

Foothill Student on
December 14th, 2018 2:27 pm

Why do people keep saying that the Foothill Administration went through great lengths, the students we’re the ones who formed the club and pushed to have the event despite the controversy, this goes to everyone, get your facts right before you being attacking ours!

Avidh on
December 16th, 2018 4:07 pm

Sorry but where in my response did I attack your rights?

Foothill Student on
December 16th, 2018 5:59 pm

begin*

Claire Lethyhm on
December 12th, 2018 10:35 pm

I can see that you may be upset at the Foothill administration but you are very wrong in your points. Your facts are false, and for your word choices, Frankly are inappropriate and unprofessional. I thought the Foothill Dragon press was supposed to cover important, real issues. But articles like this, though are a “freedom of speech” are entirely inappropriate and very selfish of the author. In my experience, people who write about topics such at this have very big, and sad issues going on in their lives. For that reason I pity you. But at the same time, I myself cannot support an stirring article such as this and wish for articles like this to not be taken lightly. I worry for the author, as it seems at this rate she is in for a long, sad and lonely path ahead.

Chloe Hilles on
December 13th, 2018 8:01 am

Rachel, so well spoken as always! I am so proud of the FDP for accurate reporting thoroughly on the issue. It’s kept me informed even when I’m away. Proud to be a former FDP-er

Obama on
December 13th, 2018 8:19 am

This is disgusting and a terrible way to spend your life complaining about something so minuscule. What gives you the urge to think what you are saying is right?

Foothill Student on
December 16th, 2018 1:57 pm

What gives you the urge to think what she is saying is wrong? Just a question : )

Mack on
December 13th, 2018 10:12 am

The author (Rachel Chang) is obviously naive and hasn’t listen or bothered to learn the whole situation. Perhaps it’s a self-indulgent need to grab onto a topic and go against the flow even though she can’t see forest through the trees.
“particularly a large demographic of Foothill students” – Are you kidding me?? Get your facts straight!! “Maybe it was a loose interpretation of an Ed. Code” – not loose….exact!! Again, get your facts straight. T-shirts supporting the “other groups” you mentioned are classes and NOT clubs sweetheart.
You definitely have some personal issues you need to deal with on the side and not use the Dragon Press to bring it down with your own hate and short sightedness. If you’re on the press and can’t get facts straight then you should leave, opinion or not.

Anon on
December 16th, 2018 2:06 pm

So just because you don’t agree with her opinion she should leave dragon press? I don’t agree with you’re comment but I still believe you have the right to state your opinion. You also state that her facts are incorrect, if so then by all means feel free to educate the general public by the correct facts, because it seems that you have all the answers.

Anonymous on
December 13th, 2018 10:37 am

This is disgusting… You are making a huge deal about petty and unimportant events that affect the careers of the administrators you are attacking. You are complaining when I’m not sure you even understand the events that took place, Pride week followed all guidelines and Bova did not break any code or rules, Pride week was held by a non school funded club and was completely reasonable. Creswell is a human and he has the right to have religious beliefs, what he did or said in the past should not effect his work and he does not let his beliefs interfere with his work to better our school district. Also you should not be arguing on the behalf of a group you do not represent.

Foothill Students on
December 16th, 2018 2:25 pm

Did you even read the article, this isn’t just about pride week and her article had nothing to do with Creswell, but since you believe Creswell has a right to his beliefs why is it that Rachel can’t have a right to hers, this concept is called being a Hypocrite. And just because she may not be part of a certain group, which you don’t know, does not mean she can’t argue on our behalf; if that’s your current mind set then please tell that to all the civil rights activist who weren’t African American but still fought for justice and so on. The only thing that is disgusting is you’re lack of ability to comprehend.

AP Foothill Students on
December 16th, 2018 6:59 pm

*your

Anonymous on
December 13th, 2018 11:44 am

This sounds completely like it’s been dictated by a teacher and written down by a student who was used as a pawn in this whole mess. I’m sorry Rachel. If you really talked to people who work with Mr. Bova every day and know the history of the event, then you would see how wrong your “facts” are.
There is a timeline under investigation by the District administration and pointing the finger at Bova or Creswell means you don’t know the whole story.
Sounds like you were used in this hot bed of an issue and for that I’m sorry.

Foothill Students on
December 16th, 2018 2:45 pm

Wow it seem like you are quite informed as to what is going on unlike the rest of us. As said in the article Rachel did talk to staff members and they themselves are unsure about the situation at hand. If her facts are wrong, then does that mean you have the correct ones? And you’re absolutely right we don’t know the whole story and all we’re asking is for some form of transparency, because before you’re comment I wouldn’t have even known there was an ongoing investigation. I also noticed that you apologized twice in your comment it doesn’t seem that hard to do, maybe you should teach our admin how to do it.

Anon on
December 13th, 2018 12:08 pm

I am not sure how those who posted comments prior to mine are seeing the call to action as such a serious offence, but are in no way worried about the ramifications of the actions that are isolating and demoralizing students. I find it disturbing that anyone can be angry about desired transparency in schools! I truly hope that Foothill can once again become a place of support and hope, it makes me sad to see students feeling demoralized.

Sallar Farokhi on
December 13th, 2018 12:22 pm

Perhaps reconsider your status as a student, before you accuse your principal of being unqualified at his job. If your ideals are as hollow as your arguements against the administration, with its hands tied against a controversial issue, then I worry for the people who look up to your image.

Foothill Students on
December 16th, 2018 2:52 pm

As a student at Foothill I can 100% percent tell you that I and many of my peers look up to Rachel. She is one of the most exceptional, brilliant, and influential people I have ever met. And before you go ahead a do character attacks maybe you should get to know her.

Fritz on
December 13th, 2018 6:13 pm

The way I see it the schools administration followed a rule set by the district regarding the shirts, which prohibits club shirts from using our school logo. You don’t have to like the rule, but that’s the way it has been. This article spins this to make it seem as if the administration deliberately made efforts to discriminate against the LGBTQ community which simply is not the case. If the administration had prevented the pride week from existing at all, I would be on your side completely. However, the week happened and was supported. At the end of the day, all that ended up changing was that the school logo couldn’t be on the shirts. At the end of this article you state that “if our administration can’t do this, then I urgently suggest it’s time for some new leadership at Foothill” in regardless to a formal apology to foothill students for not allowing a district rule to be broken. This call to action is way too drastic. The current Bova administration does its best to ensure a fair and safe enviroment for all, and while you may claim that it’s not doing a good job in this regard, take a look at other high school and see just how far this administration has taken us. While you may disagree, Bova is a good principal who needs to continue his leadership, and truly and a great man.

Sydney W. on
December 13th, 2018 8:36 pm

Thank you Rachel for putting your voice out there and standing up for the LGBTQ community at Foothill. You are so well spoken. I’m glad to know that there are students like you out there doing this for our community.

Foothill Alumni on
December 13th, 2018 10:21 pm

Wasn’t here for this, but will point out past ignorance within Foothill. The principal did BLACK FACE???? That was never addressed???

Foothill Students on
December 16th, 2018 2:52 pm

Exactly!!!!!

Dear FDP on
December 13th, 2018 11:31 pm

Well. I had much respect for your publication until this article. You believe that the most important news to be shared is a personal attack on a man who has poured his heart into establishing Foothill as the school that it is today?? Mr. Bova must feel like a parent whose child has taken for granted all that has been provided to them. I imagine that must be beyond heartbreaking. I am sorry Mr. Bova.

I normally go to the Dragon Press to check out all the cool stuff happening at Foothill: updates on the athletic program (that Bova has helped implement in the last few years), student activities, fun cartoons, and little pieces of the diverse culture at Foothill. What a lucky bunch of kids you are who have the freedom to be creative and to report on all these topics! Then tell me, why do you show no appreciation for the people who helped establish Foothill and consequently, the FDP? Why ruin my reverence for the FDP with this article? It contains no evidence that the admin were trying to shame the LGBTQ community at all. In fact, by their actions it seems as though they must care a great deal for these students. They worked to make sure Pride Week would still happen and it seems that what people don’t understand is that administration must follow educational guidelines and district policy. Can you imagine if the principal and administration ignored all district policies? Maybe we’d actually have something to be concerned about! They did their absolute best, not to “make everyone happy”, but to make as many people as possible happy, by allowing Pride Week to continue and spending time finding a solution that would allow this to happen. Hmmmmm well that makes it seem like they CARE about their students *gasp*. Also, this article shows no indications that the author tried to reach out to the administration with her concerns. What about uhh talking to someone if you have a problem with them? Is that not how people communicate anymore? Maybe you guys could do an article on how technology has affected communication. Oh wait. You already did… back when the FDP had articles on interesting and non-offensive topics. Sorry I didn’t mean to lay the sarcasm on so thick but I just found this article quite distasteful. There is no respect. The administration does not owe anyone an apology. Ms. Rachel Chang, and the publication that she represents, owe him one.

Mack on
December 14th, 2018 8:11 am

I hope since the editor published Rachel’s opinion that they are fair and will post my opinion. The author (Rachel Chang) is obviously naive and hasn’t listen or bothered to learn the whole situation. Perhaps it’s a self-indulgent need to grab onto a topic and go against the flow even though she can’t see forest from the trees. A “particularly a large demographic of Foothill students [sic – are gay]” – Are you kidding me? Get your facts straight! “Maybe it was a loose interpretation of an Ed. Code” – not loose….exact! Again, get your facts straight. Try the-reading an earlier article your Dragon Press published concerning why. You mentioned “T-shirts supporting the other groups”. Well, these are mostly classes and NOT clubs sweetheart (Yes Athletics is a class).
You definitely have some personal issues you need to deal with on the side and not use the Dragon Press to bring it down with your own hate and short sightedness. If you’re on the press and can’t get facts straight then you should leave, opinion or not.

Anonymous on
December 14th, 2018 2:01 pm

Environmental CLUB had Foothill on their T-shirts, Girl Up CLUB had Foothill on their T-shirts. So to argue that only classes can sport the logo is inconsistent.

Foothill Student on
December 14th, 2018 9:34 am

I want to start off by thanking Rachel Chang for writing such an impressive article. Being a student at Foothill I can 100% agree with your message; the inequality and inequities are clear as day. As you clearly stated in your article this is not just about pride week. This is about our administration’s lack of concern for our Drama, AVID and certain sports departments; but outstanding support for Dtech, Bioscience, and Basketball, etc. Also known as the departments that “make our school look good”. This is about the fact that if this was a rally for basketball these issues would have never occurred. Just because their was parent complaints that does not mean that the Administration should have taken pride week out of ASB hands or take the dragon off the shirts, they let their personal beliefs control their decision. People need to realize that actions such as these show us, as the student body, that our administration cares more about their image than their students on campus. And frankly I am sick and tired of adults speaking on behalf of us, feeling as if we are not old enough to form and have our own opinions. You will not diminish our voice and our message and I refuse to let you dismiss our truth, especially since we are the ones who experience this hands on. And as said in the article the administration needs to make a formal apology and have full transparency with both parents and students, if these simple tasks cannot be done then I fully believe that the board must reconsider Foothills Administration. Feel free to dislike as much as you want but know this is my truth, my voice, and my opinion.

Anon on
December 14th, 2018 10:36 am

bruh. yall needa chill for real, the only people who read the dragon press are only tryna scrutinize it. get over yourselves, homophobes.

Anon on
December 14th, 2018 10:46 am

Why are people so enraged over this article? Where was this energy when Mr. Bova did blackface? where was this anger when the administration put a blue lives matter flag on the front of the school? It seems like the majority of people commenting only seem to exist to put students down for speaking against injustices. Students should always feel free to go to the administration with their concerns, and going about it through journalism is no different in effect.

Anon on
December 16th, 2018 2:55 pm

Thank you very much, the energy for those issues we’re, like the topics, swept under the rug.

Carolina on
December 14th, 2018 11:38 am

As a LGBT+ alumni and current employee at LAUSD, I completely support your statement. The people making all these unnecessary comments under the article don’t know how demeaning it is to have so little clarity or support just for loving somebody different than their “norm.” School administration should be there to SUPPORT their students no matter what its is, even if they don’t agree with it. Their clear homophobia was shown just by not allowing Pride Week to happen. You deserve an apology. You deserve more support. Don’t let negative comments try to stop you from reaching your goal.

Anon on
December 14th, 2018 4:51 pm

*pride week did happen 😉

I Hope You are happy on
December 14th, 2018 3:32 pm

Pride week fine, let’s then have authism speaks week, overweight’s week, ugly’s week, hispanic’s week, illegals, immigrants, etc. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! We are all “finished through our life, we all want to kill ourself es once, we all have to be “WORLD RESSISTANT because that is just the world. We all have consecuentes for our choices and some just want to go happy go lucky. Back to basics. One thing is respect and something very different is to promote. Is not about religion as the superintendent was attacked, let’s live with the cricisism of our acts, life is not easy. Be real, we all suffer.

Foothill Student on
December 16th, 2018 4:15 pm

Yes actually I am quite happy that someone is finally standing up against the injustice at Foothill.

Anonymous on
December 17th, 2018 9:48 pm

“Injustice at Foothill”, try any other school, I know you will find the horrible “injustices” here slightly more tolerable compared to the vast majority of public schools.

Crysta on
December 14th, 2018 6:43 pm

People get bullied all the time, low grades, bad in sports, ugly, heavy weight, undocumented, inmigrants, autism, other special need children, they all deserve a week of ? celebration…but they have no agenda. Sad world. And NOTE: I am not anti lgbttii.. We all have been put down. Just get thick skin, as the rest of us, we are all swimming against something. Should we just accept undocumented because they a better life? Same situation. Just different example. Can someone recall any of those groups I mention above promoting their group with a school logo? If lgtbii…have their pride week lets then let the others above have theirs. Just be real

Foothill Student on
December 16th, 2018 3:52 pm

I feel like a broken record saying over and over that this is about more that just pride week. But your reasoning is so beyond flawed. First of all the week was meant to educate, secondly I don’t recall laws being passed denying rights to those who have low grades, are bad in sports, are ugly, etc. Maybe you should have participated in the pride week before making your comment so you, yourself would be more educated. And can you please explain what you mean by having an agenda, if that’s your mind set than is your agenda to not be able to form a proper sentence. And yes we do have thick skin even though we have been oppressed for years, however this is about what is right and wrong, if you had actually taken the time to read the article maybe you would have understood that.

Anon on
December 16th, 2018 10:30 pm

You’re statement is the one flawed there are many groups on Foothills campus are we simply going to just recognize them all ? I fully agree with Crysta and their message.

FTHS Grad of 15 on
December 16th, 2018 3:30 am

As a former student, and also a brother to a former student who graduated years after, I have always known the foothill administration to be very callous and unresponsive when faced with student complaints. I’m not very well versed on the current issue at hand, but I think that this article may be a consequence of the mounting frustration the student body feels towards the administration (regardless of the facts pertaining to this particular issue). I feel as if much of the feedback on this comment section is being given by those who have never been students at Foothill. It would be interesting to see the results of a poll that asked students and former students how content they were with the administration throughout their high school experience. I personally do not doubt that Bova is a “competent” high school principal. However, I have always felt that Bova was an obstacle to the progressivism that an overwhelming majority of the student body wants.

Mack on
December 16th, 2018 1:46 pm

It’s not the Student Body who runs the school but the Administration. If the students don’t like it then they can go somewhere else. Students – when you grow up and get a job you’ll find that if you don’t like your boss you have two choices – 1) Quit and get another job somewhere else and risk being labeled a quitter (someone who can’t handle things) or 2) Be mature, accept it and learn from it. School is no different.

Foothill Students on
December 16th, 2018 3:07 pm

As students we cannot thank you enough for supporting what we have been trying to say, this is exactly what the article was referring to. And like you said the comment section is flooded with parents and community members who have never been students at Foothill and cannot possibly understand our message; honestly if you we’re to ask students how many times our principle has directly talked to them the average response will be 0-1. And there have been a few polls out on social media, with many students supporting Rachel’s claim but yes I do agree that a poll should be conducted. Again thank you so much for commenting on what we have been trying to say.

Fritz on
December 16th, 2018 8:07 pm

Actually, I am a student at foothill and so are many of the people responding to this article. Personally I have talked to and interacted with Mr. Bova plenty of times over the time I’ve been a student here(once or twice every week), and I have no doubt that he does his best to ensure a safe/fair school enviroment for all students.

FTHS Grad of 15 on
December 17th, 2018 1:04 am

Perhaps you did not read my post fully. I am not questioning Bova’s ability to ensure a safe/fair school environment. His administration has undoubtedly done “many” great things for the school throughout the years. It’s difficult for me to doubt your claim that “many” people responding to this article are students, considering “many” is a fairly ambiguous probabilistic estimate. But while we’re on assumptive topics, let me make a few. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that majority of students are not going to give any feedback on this article (obviously), majority of the feedback that is being given is from those that have not been students and are discontent that a student questioned Saint Bova’s tenure, and that you’re one of the few students that has a positive bi-weekly interaction with Joe Bova. Again, I don’t have the slightest clue how accurate this article is in the reporting the contemporary issue at hand. But the essence of this article encapsulates ubiquitous feelings previous classes have had towards the administration.

Comments on articles are screened and those determined by editors to be crude, overly mean-spirited or that serve primarily as personal attacks will not be approved. The Editorial Review Board, made up of 11 student editors and a faculty adviser, make decisions on content.